Huge Stanmore eucalypt getting the chop

Stanmore is set to loose a large eucalypt as Labor and Independent councillors on Marrickville council voted last night against a Greens motion to attempt to save the tree

The corymbia citriodora in Cambridge St., Stanmore is a grand street tree planted in the 70’s, that’s at the centre of a tussle between those that believe the tree is the cause of cracking in a property nearby and those that cite the prolonged drought and clay soil in the inner west, as the major culprits.

“The ongoing drought combined with above average temperatures over a prolonged period, has made many properties in the Marrickville area experience ongoing movement and cracking due to the contraction in the clay soils ” said Councillor Peters

“It’s counterproductive to remove such significant trees from our environment unless there are absolutely no other options. In this instance the Greens were seeking a period of grace so that proper testing along with amelioration attempts, could be undertaken.”

“This street has numerous properties that exhibit similar cracking in door and window areas and yet in most cases, do not have any trees near them. This sort of cracking is something most people in the inner west live with and understand that the cracks will close when the soil conditions improve.”

“Trees of this maturity are important assets in our community as they clean our air, sequester large amounts of carbon, provide shade and thus cool the environment as well as providing habitat for native birds and insects. They also add value to our properties and enhance our streets and we need to be mindful of these positive aspects rather than seeing trees as potential risks or nuisances that can be chopped down continually at no cost to us all.”

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The Marrickville and Petersham-Newtown Greens are the local groups for members of The Greens political party living in the Sydney suburbs of Dulwich Hill, Enmore, Lewisham, Marrickville, Newtown, Petersham, St Peters, Stanmore, Sydenham and Tempe.

All electoral comment on this site authorised by Richard Morrell 19 Eve Street Erskinville NSW